All the notes were taken directly from “High Performance Habits” by Brendon Burchard!
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1: Beware Superiority
High performers face a unique set of character traps because they are, by definition,
outperforming so many around them. When you are succeeding beyond others, it’s easy to get
a big head. You can begin to think you’re special, separate from, better than, or more important
than other people. Of course, you probably would never say to yourself, “One day, I want to
start feeling that I’m better than other people.” So consider these prompts closely.
Performance Prompts
1. A recent situation where I found myself being overly critical or dismissive of others was…
2. The thoughts I had about myself in that situation and the others involved were . . .
3. Had I reimagined the situation from a more humble and appreciative view, I would
probably have realized that . . .
4. The best way I can remind myself that everyone is dealing with difficulties in life and that
we’re all more alike than we are different is . . .
Don’t judge others as below you or separate from you.
Everything is trainable
“You are not the first entrepreneur to face financial ruin, parent to lose a child, manager to be cheated by an employee, lover to be cheated on, striver to lose your dream, CEO to run a large global company, healthy person to find yourself suddenly battling cancer, person to deal with depression or addiction in yourself or a loved one.”
Margin of mistake: What’s my percentage of error?
“Seek others ideas for improving anything you do to discover your holes”
“Hire someone that challenge your thinking. Consistency in receiving feedback is key”
“Remind yourself that trust is earned through caring for others”
“Take ownership of your actions by reflecting on your role: How am I distorting the situation, am I putting myself as the hero or victim”
“Gratitude and humility are “mutually reinforcing”
2: Beware Dissatisfaction
Do not listen to those who say, “Never be satisfied.” Satisfaction is something you should feel
as you strive, not one day when all is perfect. Being satisfied, then, doesn’t mean “settling.” It
simply means accepting and taking pleasure in what is. It’s allowing yourself to feel contentment
whether or not a thing is complete or “perfect.” You have to reach yourself to feel fulfilled and
enjoy the journey now. These prompts will help.
Performance Prompts
1. The areas of my life I’ve felt consistently dissatisfied with include . . .
2. Some good things that have also happened in those areas include . . .
3. Something I can say to myself the next time I feel dissatisfied, to get me to notice the
good things and continue moving forward, is . . .
4. Someone who probably sees me dissatisfied more than I want them to is . . .
5. If I were going to inspire that person to believe you can enjoy life as you work hard and
succeed, I would have to change these behaviors . . .
“Start journaling what’s going well, appreciate your blessings, any progress, enjoy the journey, and record your wins.”
“Get your team together once a week for no other reason than to talk about what’s working, what people are excited about, what difference your efforts are making in real people’s lives.”
“Start meetings by asking others to share one great thing that has happened that can give the team a sense of joy, pride, and fulfillment.”
3: Beware Neglect
It’s easy to neglect the important people and things in our lives when we get overcommitted or
overreach. Perhaps that’s why this is one of the most important chapters in the book. Read it
twice. Trust me. No one wants to wake up and realize they took their eye off what matters.
These prompts will help you remember what’s important.
Performance Prompts
1. An area where I am neglecting someone or something important in my life is . . .
2. An area where that neglect will cause me regret later on is . . .
3. An area where I can return my focus, reallocating my attention to things that matter, is…
4. Some areas in my life where I feel overcommitted right now are . . .
5. The things I need to learn to say no to more often are . . .
6. An opportunity I really want to chase right now that I could schedule to revisit in few
months is . . .
7. The main things moving the needle toward my success that I should be focused on right
now, despite all the other exciting interests and opportunities I could chase, are . . .
8. The way I’ll remind myself not to take on too much is . . .
“Slow down, be more strategic, and say no more often.”
“Don’t forget the positive habits that brought you to this level of success, forgetting what was working for us”
“The culprits that steal your success are not lack of values or intelligence. The culprits are ultimately allocations of attention. You feel separate from others, so you stop paying attention to feedback, diverse viewpoints, new ways of doing things. You get so good that you start noticing only what’s wrong, and a constant state of disappointment drains your passion. You rationalize neglecting one area of life so you can get ahead, saying it will be “worth it,” so you stop focusing on what really matters in life.” “Avoiding this traps will keep you humble, satisfied, and focused.”
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